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(No Model.) E. G. PARKHURST. CRANK ARM FASTENING.

No. 512,745. Patented Jan. 16, 1894 Wi'fnasses: 1722267? for: X0252 gaa/1% Edward GQPar/chursi,

By his lilornely shaft, M. .5

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDWARD G. PARKI-IURST, OF HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO THEHOTCHKISS ORDNANCE COMPANY, LIMITED, OF LONDON, ENGLAND.

CRANK-ARM FASTENING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 512,745, dated January16,1894.

7 Application filed July 26, 1893- To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD G. PARKHURST, a citizen of the United States,residing at Hartford,in the county of Hartford and State of Connecticut,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Crank-ArmFastenings, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to attachments for removably securing crank-armsto shafts; the object being to provide improved means for attaching anddetaching a crank-arm to and from its shaft by a shaft-fastening orlocking device operable by hand.

My present improvement is especially intended for use in connection withthe'operating cranks or levers of rapid-fire guns, especially those ofthe Hotchkiss type.

In the drawings accompanying and forming a part of thisspecificatiomFigure 1 is a side elevation of a crank-arm attachmentembodying my present invention, and showing the crank-arm locked inplace on its shaft. Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the crank-armattachment, as seen from the right-hand in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is alongitudinal section (except of the shaft and pin) on the line a a, Fig.2. Fig. 4 is a side view of theshaft-lock shown in a positioncorresponding to its position in Figs. 2, 5, 6 and 7. Figs. 5, 6 and 7are sectional views in line b b, Fig. 1, illustrative of the operationof the device. Fig. 8 is an end view of the shaft, as seen from theleft-hand in Figs. 1 and 3, showing the preferred form of theno'n-rotative crank-arm bearin Fig. 9 is a side view of said bearing asseen from the right hand in Fig. 8, and corresponding in position toFigs. 1 and 3.

Similar characters designate like parts in all the figures of thedrawings.

For the purpose of illustrating the application of my present inventionto one of its more important purposes, I have shown a crank-arm which isdesignated in a general way by N and is furnished with a shaft-lockdevice made according to my present improvements, removably fitted uponthe nonrotative crank-arm bearing of an ordinary The crank-arm N may beany ordinary crank-arm, such, for instance, as used on theoperating-shafts of rapid-fire guns. The crank-arm herein shown consistsof a Serial No. 481,479. (No model.)

lever-arm, 2, which is usually provided at its outer end with somesuitable handle, as 3, whereby to operate the same by hand; and a hub4t, bored for receiving the crank-arm bearing of said shaft, on whichbearing the crank-arm hub should be fitted to slide closely but freely.

For the purpose of securing the required non-rotative engagement betweenthe crankarm and its shaft-bearing, this bearing, as shown best in Figs.5 to 8, inclusive, is squared or flatted on one or more sides thereof soas to operate after the manner of an ordinary squared-shaft; or, afterthe manner of an ordinary round shaft having a key projecting therefromfor engaging a corresponding keyway in the partcarried thereon. In thepresent instance, the shaft M has the crank-armbearing M thereof flattedon three sides, designated by 5, 6 and 7, respectively; the fourth side,designated by 8, is shown forming a continuation of the cylindricalouter surface of the shaft M, and in this side (which is preferably leftfull, as shown, and not cut away)is formed the transverse shaft-locknotch 9 for receiving the workingend, or bolt, 10, of the shaft-lockhereinafter more fully described. The crank-arm-bearing, beingirregularly shaped as set forth, is

not only non-rotative within the correspond- I ing bore of thecrank-arm, but will enter said arm only in one position; by this means,when the crank-arm is applied to a gun of the class specified, the crank5 arm, whenever put in place, always comes to its proper workingposit-ion as required in that class of ordnance.

The shaft-lock consists of a plate, or lookcatch, designated in ageneral way by H, and

which is supported on the crank-arm, and is capable of being moved fromand into the bore of said arm for the purpose of engagement anddisengagement with and from the shaft. As a means for mounting saidshaftlock to have the required movement radially of the shaft-axis andat the same time rigidly hold'the same against any movement 1ongitudinally of said axis, the shaft-lock is supported in a slot 11, formedtransversely in the hub. 4 of the crank-arm and communicating with theshaft-bore of the crank-arm; the shaft-lock being pivotally supported insaid slot 11 by a pin or pivot-bearing, 12, as will be understood bycomparison of the figures of drawings.

The shaft -lock H in the preferred form thereof herein-shown, has on theinner side thereof the lock-catch, or bolt-end, 10, adapted for engagingin the aforesaid transverse slot or lock-notch 90f the shaft M. Theoutward movement of the shaft-lock from its working position shown inFig. 5 to its open position shown in Fig. 7 is limited by the projectingend or stop-arm 18, which engages against the stop-face 14 of thecrank-arm hub, as shown in said Fig. '7. Extending beyond its catch 10,the shaft-lock is furnished with a springarm, or yielding lever-arm, 15,whose outer end 16, when the shaft lock is in its closed or workingposition shown in Figs. 2 and 5, ex tend beyond the central line a a andyieldingly grasps the outer side of the crank-arm hub in opposition tothe pivot-pin 12, thereby holding the shaft-lock in place withaconsiderable degree of force, dependent, of course, upon the elasticityof the spring-arm 15 and the distance its point 16 extends beyond saidline a a of the axes of the shaft and shaftlock pivot. In Fig. 6 theshaft-lock is shown in its mid-stroke position, with the extreme pointof its said spring-arm bearing on the crank-arm hub at the line a a. InFig. 7,

the shaft-lock being here shown fully open,

- said spring arm is released from its tension,

its point standing contiguous to the surface of the crank-arm hub atsome distance to the left hand of the line Ct at and thus operating tonormally hold the shaft lock in its open position ready for thecrank-arm to be slid onto or ofi from the shaft, as the case may be.

Having thus fully described the application of my present improvementsto a crank-arm removably mounted upon the end of a shaft, it will, ofcourse, be clear that the same improvements are equally applicable tothe hub of a wheel similarly supported.

It will also be understood that my improved crank-arm attachment, andthe several parts thereof, may be modified in various ways within thescope and limits of my invention.

The operation of the crank-arm attachment will be readily understoodfrom the drawings in connection with the preceding description. Thecrank-arm being locked in place on the shaft, as shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3and 5, the operator may grasp the same by the hub of the crank-arm,bringing his finger over the spring-arm 15 in engagement with thechecked surface of the projection 17 there of, and thereby withdraw theshaft-lock from its position in Fig. 5 to its position in Fig. 7, andthen withdraw the crank-arm directly ofi from the shaft M withoutreleasing his grasp of said arm. By this means the crank-arm may beinstantly unlocked and removed, and by a reverse operation instantlyreplaced and locked on the shaft; no shifting of the hand on thecrank-arm being ordinarily required for the operation of the shaft-lock.

By means of the construction and mode of assembling herein described, ofthe several parts, it is practicable to have these so fitted as to befreely assembled and disassembled by hand without having anyobjectionable play of one part upon the other; also the use of smallseparable details such as the normally loose screws and pins heretoforelargely used in this class of devices, is entirely avoided, the deviceherein shown having only one pin 12, and this being firmly driven intothe crank-arm hub 4E, and therefore normally nonseparable.

By the term non-rotative bearing as applied to the crank-arm-carryingportion of the shaft, I refer to that feature of the constructionwhereby the shaft is fitted for non-rotative sliding movement in thecrank-arm; but I do not intend by the use of said term to limit myimprovement to the use of a crankarm bearing of any particularcross-sectional shape; for it will be understood that the crosssectionalform of said portion of the shaft may be varied as may be required inany particular instance, so long as the engagement between the shaft andcrank-arm-is non-rotative; that is, so long as said parts operate, for

efiecting the rotary movement of the shaft, upon the well-knownprinciple of ashaft-andkey.

Having thus described my invention, I claim- 1. In a fastening of theclass specified, thecombination with the shaft having the nonrotativecrank-armbearing and having a transverse shaft-lock notch, of thecrank-arm fitted for longitudinal movement on said crank-arm-bearin g,and a shaft-lock pivotally supported in the crank-arm transversely ofsaid bearing and adapted to engage in said shaft notch, and ashaft-lock-retaining arm for holding the shaft-lock in removableengagement with said shaft-lock notch, substan tially as described.

2. In a fastening of the class specified, the combination with theshaft, of the crank arm hub fitted for longitudinal non-rotativemovement on the shaft and having in one side thereof a slot transverselyof the shaft and extending to the bore of the hub of said crank arm, anda shaft-lock pivotally supported in the said slot and having a springarm extending over and engaging the hub for detaining the shaft-lock inworking position, substan-- tially as described.

3. In a fastening of the class specified, the combination with the shafthaving a crankarm-bearing substantially as specified and a shaftdocknotch, of a part fitting said bearing and having the transverse slot 11and the movable shaft-lock pivotally supported in said slot, and havinga catch for engaging the shaft lock notch, and having the spring-armextending, when the shaft-lock is closed, beyond the line of the axesofthe shaft and shaft-lock pivot, whereby the shaft-lock is normally heldin its working position,substantially as described.

4. In a fastening of the class specified, the yieldingly holding theshaft-lock closed and combination with the shaft,andwitl1 the crankopen, substantially as described. arm hub fitted thereon and having apivot and a stop-face, of the shaft-lock supported EDWARD PARKHURST' 5on said pivot and havingastop-arm limiting Witnesses:

its opening movement by engagement with A. O. DIEFFENBAOH, saidstop-face of the said hub, and means for FRED. J. DOLE.

